This invention relates to surgical drapes. More particularly it relates to surgical drapes having a fenestration or opening therein through which a surgical procedure is to be performed where such procedure requires that a tube or other elongated apparatus be left in the site of the procedure after completion thereof.
Surgical drapes are used during surgical procedures to provide a sterile field about the site of the procedure. In addition, the drape prevents blood and other bodily fluids from coming into contact with the patient as well as being spilled onto the operating room floor. Often the surgical drape has an opening therein near its center through which the procedure is performed. An adhesive may be applied around the opening with release paper covering the adhesive. When the drape is ready to be used, the release paper is removed and the adhesive is pressed against the body of the patient in the vicinity of the site of the procedure so that the drape will more readily remain in position.
There are many procedures which require tubes or other elongated apparatus, such as wires, to be placed into the site of the procedure and to remain in the site of the procedure for some time after closure. Because the tubes are received through the hole in the drape, it has been a problem to remove the drape after the procedure has been completed. Often scissors are used to cut the drape from one edge to the opening therein. Obviously the use of scissors near the site of the procedure and near other parts of the patient creates risk and furthermore it is awkward and often messy.
Surgical drapes have been provided which utilize perforations from one edge of the drape to the opening to aid in the removal of the drape from the patient. An example of such a drape is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For simplification, FIG. 1 only shows a portion of drape 10. Drape 10 has opening 12 therein through which a surgical procedure is to be performed and also has several in-line perforations 14. FIG. 2, which is a cross section of drape 10 taken through section line A--A, shows that perforations 14 extend all the way through drape 10. The perforations 14 are used to provide a weakened line so that the drape may be pulled apart by hand without the need for scissors. Since the perforations 14 pass completely through the drape, the reliability of the drape as a sterile field is reduced because microorganisms may readily pass through the perforations.